On vehicle roadways, particularly in areas where roadways are covered with snow for a part of the year, a continuing problem is the damage and destruction of highway signs and delineators situated at the side of the road for the guidance and warning of passing motorists. Of necessity such signs and delineators must be in close proximity to the roadway so that they can be readily observed by passing motorists. Because of their proximity to the edge of the road they are subject to damage by weed mowers, snow plows and occasionaily by automobiles.
A specific example is where signs are located by narrow one-lane bridges along rural roads that have concrete railings or abutments on both sides. Highway department standards in some states require that one foot by three foot reflective markers be installed directly above these concrete abutments. Because various farm equipment is wider than the space between these markers, the markers many times are knocked down whenever the equipment goes over the bridges. Also, snow plows blast heavy snow against these markers causing the markers to become so bent or twisted that they are no longer readable by approaching motorists. In some areas as many as 15 percent of all rural signs require repair each spring because of the damage inflicted during the winter.
These problems have been around for many years and because of the expense of procuring, installing and replacing roadway markers, the need to solve these problems is great. The prior art teaches various solutions to these problems but because of various reasons, i.e., too costly, poor maintenance and impracticality, they have not been widely accepted.